Venice

Many would argue that the secret to enjoying Venice is throwing away the map and allowing yourself to wander. A watery world of islands and canals, this iconic city is home to a riot of monuments, museums, hidden palazzi and tempting tavernas.

Venice never loses its ability to enchant. The Grand Canal, the city’s two-mile aquatic thoroughfare, is lined with hundreds of weather-worn Byzantine and Gothic palazzi and is abuzz with canal life. St Mark’s Basilica, the Rialto Bridge and the Doge’s Palace may well be crowded but are not to be missed on any visit to the city. For something a little quieter, head to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection to gaze at 20th-century masterpieces from Pollock, Picasso, Dali and others.

Or make for the islands of Burano and Murano, the former known for its rainbow-coloured houses, intricate lacework and waterside restaurants, the latter for its long tradition of Venetian glassmaking. Or simply embrace the hubbub by pulling up a chair at a local bacari (tavern), ordering a spritz and a plate of cicchetti (tapas) and watching life unfold as it has done for centuries.